Original subtitles

[MUSIC]

THROUGHOUT THE 1990S, MONDAY

NIGHT SERVED AS A PRIMETIME

BATTLEFIELD THAT TRANSFORMED

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING INTO

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

TED TURNER'S WCW TOOK ON VINCE

MCMAHON'S WWE FOR RATING

SUPREMACY AT THE RISK OF

EXTINCTION AS INNOVATION AND

EVOLUTION PAVED THE WAY FOR A

KING TO BE CROWNED.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.

ON THE LOOSING END OF THEIR

FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL, WWE WOULD

FORGE AHEAD WITH AN EDGY NEW

IDENTITY.

AS THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED, SO

HAVE WE.

AS MONDAY NIGHT RAW BECAME

MUST SEE TV...

SUCK IT.

...A NEW ERA WOULD LAUNCH

CAREERS AND BREAK TRADITIONAL

BOUNDARIES.

OH.

REVOLUTIONIZING SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT, IT WAS AN ERA

THAT COULD BE SUMMED UP IN ONE

WORD, ATTITUDE.

THIS IS THE MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

[MUSIC]

HULK HOGAN HAS BETRAYED WCW.

WHAT IN THE--WHAT IS HE DOING

HERE?

WELCOME TO MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

MONDAY NITRO.

[CROWD CHEERING]

GOSH, WHAT IS--HE HAS BROKEN

IN HALF.

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR -- .

BRET SCREW BRET.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER, BROTHER.

LET'S GET THESE SUCKERS.

[MUSIC]

WE ARE AT WAR.

[MUSIC]

IT IS TIME FOR WCW MONDAY

NITRO.

IN 1996, TED TURNER'S WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WAS

RIDING HIGH AS THE PREMIERE

PROMOTION IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

THE NUMBER ONE PROGRAM IN THE

WORLD, IT'S NITRO WITH WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

THE COMPANY'S LIVE FLAGSHIP

SHOW, MONDAY NITRO WAS LAUNCHED

IN DIRECT COMPETITION WITH VINCE

MCMAHON'S PRIMETIME PROGRAM

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

WCW HAD DETHRONED THE

LONG-TIME INDUSTRY LEADER AND

WAS IN THE MIDST OF A DOMINANT

84 WEEK WINNING STREAK IN THE

CABLE TELEVISION RATINGS.

RIGHT NOW, WCW IS HOTTER THAN

EVER.

WHERE WERE IN A MASSIVE WAR.

WHEN I SAY WAR, IT WASN'T LIKE,

YOU KNOW, WELL, IF IT DOESN'T

WORK OUT, WE MOVE ON OR

SOMETHING.

IF IT DIDN'T WORK OUT, WE'RE

PROBABLY GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.

IT'S OVER.

WHEN I WAS IN WCW, THE MAIN

THING WAS BEATING WWE AT ALL

COSTS.

THIS IS WCW WHERE THE BIG

BOYS PLAY.

WE HAD A LIMITLESS BUDGET,

THE RATINGS WERE EVERYTHING.

BACKED BY TED TURNER'S BANK

ACCOUNT, WCW HAD GAINED

LEGITIMACY BY ACQUIRING SOME OF

THE BIGGEST NAMES IN THE

INDUSTRY.

MANY OF THEM, FORMER WWE

SUPERSTARS.

THE MEASURING STICK JUST

CHANGE AROUND HERE, BUDDY,

YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE SIGNING OF THESE

MARKETABLE SUPERSTARS INCREASED

WCW'S VIEWERSHIP AND FORCED

VINCE MCMAHON BACK TO THE

DRAWING BOARD TO REBUILD HIS

ROSTER.

IN 1996 WHEN THEY WERE

GETTING THEIR BUTTS KICKED IN

THE RATINGS, HE STARTED

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE.

ROCKY MAIVIA.

NOW, THERE'S GOT TO BE THE

MAN RIGHT THERE, THAT BLUE

CHIPPER RIGHT THERE.

GUYS WHO IN A YEAR, IN TWO

YEARS, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BUY

THESE PEOPLE AS MAIN EVENTERS.

I'M GOING TO PROVE HOW GOOD

THE RINGMASTER IS.

ALTHOUGH A TALENTED ROSTER

HAD BEEN ASSEMBLED, THE

CHARACTERS OF THESE PERFORMERS

FAILED TO RESONATE WITH THE

OLDER PRIMETIME DEMOGRAPHIC.

AND RAW'S RATINGS CONTINUE TO

SUFFER.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAD

WORKED BEFORE AS FAR AS

OUTRAGEOUS CHARACTERS WAS NOT

GOING TO WORK IN THAT CURRENT

ENVIRONMENT.

THE GOON.

[MUSIC]

IT HAD WORKED FOR YEARS.

IT WAS A FORMULA THAT DIDN'T

NEED TO BE TINKERED WITH UNTIL

THE COMPETITION CAME.

[MUSIC]

OH, LOOK AT THAT.

YES.

WWE AT THE TIME WAS NUMBER

ONE IN FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT.

I LITERALLY DID EVERYTHING THAT

I COULD DO TO BE DIFFERENT.

JUST LIKE HE'S DONE WITH HIS

OWN GARBAGE CAN.

THEIR CHARACTERS ARE VERY

ANIMATED AND VERY CARTOONISH.

IT'S ONE THING TO JUMP ME

FROM BEHIND, BUT IT'S ANOTHER

THING TO HIT ME WITH MY OWN

TRASHCAN.

I'M GOING TO MAKE MINE VERY

REAL.

HERE'S THE NWO.

READY OR NOT, HERE WE COME.

AS WWE'S FOUNDATION WAS IN

FLUX, RAW WAS LOOSING GROUND IN

THE RATINGS, THANKS TO THE

DOMINANCE OF WCW.

HEAVY DAMAGE HERE.

NITRO'S EXECUTIVE PRODUCER,

ERIC BISCHOFF, WAS INCORPORATING

MORE EDGY TRUE TO LIFE

PROGRAMMING LED BY THE

REBELLIOUS NEW WORLD ORDER.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, BROTHER, THE

NEW WORLD ORDER IS REALLY

IMPORTANT AROUND HERE.

THE NWO WERE STIRRING THINGS

UP.

WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF

ATTENTION.

WE'RE DOING WHATEVER WE WANT AND

I THINK PEOPLE IDENTIFIED WITH

IT.

AND NOW WE SEE THE NEW WORLD

ORDER TAKING COMMAND.

WE HAVE GOT CHAOS GOING ON

HERE.

THEY TURNED SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT WORLD ON ITS EAR.

THEY HAD PEOPLE WATCHING EVERY

WEEK WHO WANT TO KNOW WHAT THESE

GUYS ARE GOING TO DO NEXT.

WE ARE GOING TO BUILD A

DYNASTY.

YOU'RE EITHER WITH US OR YOU'RE

AGAINST US.

I KNEW THE COMPANY WAS DEAD

IN THE WATER, BECAUSE THE

PRODUCTS WERE IN TWO DIFFERENT

WORLDS.

I MEAN, ONE WAS HIP, ONE WAS

COOL, ONE WAS CUTTING EDGE.

IS THERE ANY QUESTION NOW

WHAT IS THE MOST POWERFUL

ORGANIZATION IN PROFESSIONAL

WRESTLING?

THE OTHER PRODUCT JUST WASN'T

GETTING IT.

THE SULTAN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

FOR A LONG TIME, WE FELT THAT

WE HAD BETTER SHOWS, BUT

NONETHELESS, OLD HABITS ARE HARD

TO BREAK AND TRENDS ARE HARD TO

BREAK.

AND PEOPLE HAD CHANGED THEIR

VIEWING HABIT TO GO WITH WCW.

YOU KNOW, MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT

IT, THEY WERE WINNING AND THEY

WERE WINNING BY A BIG MARGIN.

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING'S

NUMBER ONE PROGRAM, WE ARE WCW

MONDAY NITRO.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS

LIKE TO GET YOUR -- KICKED.

THIRTY WEEKS IN A ROW, IT HURT

MENTALLY, IT HURT PHYSICALLY, IT

HURTS YOUR EGO.

VINCE WAS HURT IN THOSE WAYS

TOO, BUT HE'S ALSO GETTING HIS

-- KICKED IN A POCKET BOOK.

ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION,

WWE WAS SEVERELY LACKING THE

CONTEMPORARY PROGRAMMING THAT

HAD BECOME ALL THE RAGE IN WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

IT WAS THE ELEVENTH HOUR AND

VINCE WAS GOING TO LOSE THE

MONDAY NIGHT WAR.

THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN ANY OF OUR

MINDS, VINCE WAS LOSING, HE'S

GETTING HIS -- KICKED.

I WASN'T TOO SURE WHETHER OR

NOT WE WERE GOING TO SURVIVE.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN LIFE

AS WELL AND IN BUSINESS TO

REALIZE YOU'RE GOING TO GET

KNOCKED ON YOUR BUTT, YOU KNOW,

AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO?

[CROWD CHEERING]

I THINK SOMETIMES THAT IS

WHEN YOU BRING OUT THE BEST IN

PEOPLE.

WITH HIS BACK AGAINST THE

WALL AND HIS COMPANY'S FUTURE IN

JEOPARDY, VINCE MCMAHON WOULD

MAKE A RISKY ADJUSTMENT TO THE

WWE BRAND.

HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR PRODUCT

BETTER?

YOU KNOW, THE OLD BITTER

MOUSETRAP STUFF, IT'S RISK AND

IT JUST SEEMED LIKE IT WAS THE

RIGHT THING TO DO AT THE TIME.

I WAS CONVINCED THAT WWE

WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO COME

BACK, THAT THEY'D NEVER BE ABLE

TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMPETE

WITH US.

AND I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM A

FRIEND OF MINE SAYING, "ERIC,

BASICALLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE

LIKE HOWARD STERN AND JERRY

SPRINGER AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO

OVER THE TOP AND, YOU KNOW,

THEY'RE GOING TO GET REALLY

AGGRESSIVE."

AND IN MY INFINITE

IGNORANCE/ARROGANCE, I REMEMBER

THINKING TO MYSELF, "GOOD LUCK,

THAT WILL NEVER WORK."

HUNG UP THE PHONE, DIDN'T THINK

ABOUT IT AGAIN.

AUSTIN 3:16 SAYS, "I JUST

WHIPPED YOUR -- ."

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHILE ERIC BISCHOFF

DISCREDITED WWE'S ABILITY TO LET

GO OF THEIR PG PAST, VINCE

MCMAHON WAS BUILDING AN ANSWER

TO WCW'S SUPREMACY.

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A...

[CROWD CHEERING]

NO LONGER THE RINGMASTER,

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN GAVE

MONDAY NIGHT RAW A MORE TRUE TO

LIFE CHARACTER THAT USHERED IN

MORE CONTEMPORARY CONTENT.

COME ON, WE NEED SOME HELP.

STEVE CAME ALONG AT A RIGHT

CHARACTER AT THE RIGHT TIME.

THE STONE COLD STEVE AUSTINS,

PEOPLE LIKE THAT, IT'S ALL ABOUT

GIVING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FOR

THOSE TALENTS TO GROW.

FOSTER AND NURTURE THEM AS MUCH

AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN, PRODUCE AND

DIRECT THEM AS MUCH AS YOU

POSSIBLY CAN AND THAT'S WHAT WE

DID.

OH, NO, LOOK AT THIS.

THERE GOES STEVE AUSTIN STICKING

IT BEHIND BRIAN PILLMAN.

OH.

USING STEVE AUSTIN'S BRASH

PERSONA, MONDAY NIGHT RAW IS

READY TO TAKE ITS FIRST BIG LEAP

INTO THE UNCHARTED WATERS OF

REALITY-BASED STORYLINES.

YOU SUCK, PILLMAN, YOU'VE

ALWAYS HAD AND YOU ALWAYS WILL.

COMING TO YOU LIVE OUTSIDE

THE HOME OF BRIAN PILLMAN, I'M

KEVIN KELLY, WHERE IN JUST A FEW

MOMENTS, I'LL BE CONDUCTING A

VERY SPECIAL LIVE INTERVIEW.

BUT NO ONE COULD FORESEE JUST

HOW REAL WWE STORYLINES WOULD

BECOME.

THERE'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN

BUSINESS AND PRIVATE LIVES.

AUSTIN, YOU'VE CROSSED THAT

LINE, YOU'VE MADE THIS PERSONAL.

AND NOW I'LL BREAK A WHOLE

DIFFERENT SET OF RULES, SON.

STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN AND

BRIAN PILLMAN USED TO BE BEST

FRIENDS, TAG TEAM PARTNERS, THEY

BOTH COME INTO THE WWE AND THEY

START BUTTING HEADS.

THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, A FULL

BLOWN RIVALRY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AUSTIN MAY HAVE RE-BROKEN

PILLMAN'S ANKLE HERE.

BRIAN PILLMAN'S ATHLETIC CAREER

MAY HAVE JUST ENDED AT THE HANDS

OF STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

NEXT WEEK, IF ANYBODY IS

GOING TO BRIAN'S HOUSE, YOU CAN

BET I'LL BE THERE AND THAT'S THE

BOTTOM LINE.

DON'T YOU--DON'T YOU THINK

YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH TO BRIAN

PILLMAN?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'VE DONE

ENOUGH?

STONE COLD SAYS HE'S GOING TO

GO TO BRIAN PILLMAN'S HOUSE TO

FINISH THE JOB THAT HE STARTED

ON HIS ANKLE.

BRIAN PILLMAN SAYS, "THAT'S COOL

BECAUSE WHEN YOU SHOW UP ON MY

PROPERTY, I'VE GOT AN ANSWER FOR

AUSTIN 3:16."

STEVE IS A DEAD MAN WALKING,

PILLMAN NINE MILLIMETER, YOU

KNOW, LIKE, "WHOA."

PILLMAN'S GOT THIS PISTOL

OUT, THIS IS RIDICULOUS.

I DIDN'T QUITE KNOW LIKE WHAT

WAS GOING ON.

IT'S LIKE, "YEAH, THIS IS A

SHOW, RIGHT?"

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE

BACK WITH MORE RAW AND WE ARE

LIVE.

AUSTIN IS OUTSIDE OF BRIAN

PILLMAN'S HOME.

STEVE AUSTIN SHOWS UP, BEATS

UP BRIAN PILLMAN'S FRIENDS,

THROWS ONE OF THEM IN A KIDDY

POOL.

I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE,

BRIAN.

THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW,

STEVE AUSTIN BREAKS INTO HIS

HOUSE.

IT'S FULL BLOWN CHAOS.

THE LAST YOU SEE IS A CRAZY WILD

EYED, CRAZY HAIRED BRIAN PILLMAN

BRANDISHING A GUN.

AND THE FEED GOES OUT, YOU KNOW,

AND THEN I REMEMBER WATCHING

JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LIKE,

"DID HE SHOOT HIM?

LIKE WHAT HAPPENED?"

WE ARE LIVE.

POWER HAS BEEN RESTORED, VINCE.

YOU WEREN'T SURE WHAT WAS

GOING ON, THIS ISN'T NORMAL

WRESTLING.

THIS IS NOT WHAT I'M USED TO

SEEING AND THIS IS DIFFERENT.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE AUSTIN IS?

I DO NOT KNOW WHERE STEVE

AUSTIN IS.

HE SAW THE GUN AND HE LEFT.

WHEN YOU PUT TWO GUYS THAT

ARE AS INTENSE AS WE ARE, YOU

KNOW, BRIAN AND MYSELF, AND PUT

A GUN IN HIS HAND AND I'M

BREAKING INTO HIS HOUSE, BECAUSE

I'M A PIECE OF TRASH, IT CREATED

A LOT OF ATTENTION.

OH, MY GOD, HE'S BACK.

NOBODY REALLY EXPECTED IT TO

COME OFF THAT GOOD.

AND IT REALLY, REALLY WAS

SOMETHING THAT MADE YOU GO, "WAS

THAT REAL?"

I'M GOING TO KILL THAT SON OF

A -- .

IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE IN THE

REAL WORLD.

THIS IS PROBABLY WHAT WOULD

HAPPEN IF SOMEBODY BROKE INTO

YOUR HOUSE, BUT WATCHING THAT,

MAN, IT WAS A LINE CROSSED.

WAS IT GOOD, WAS IT BAD?

I DON'T KNOW.

I KNOW IT WAS ENTERTAINING.

OH, MY GOD.

GRAB THE GUN.

GET HIM OUT OF HERE.

WHEN VINCE MCMAHON STARTED

TAKING THE WWE IN THAT NEW

DIRECTION, THE PEOPLE IN THE

BUSINESS WERE HORRIFIED.

MY GOD, HE'S MAKING THE JERRY

SPRINGER SHOW OUT OF THIS.

THE CONTROVERSIAL EPISODE

GARNERED PLENTY OF ATTENTION.

ON BEHALF OF THE WORLD

WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT,

WE HUMBLY APOLOGIZE FOR THE

INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE LAST

MONDAY NIGHT ON RAW.

IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT APPROPRIATE

AS USA NETWORK MADE VERY CLEAR.

AND IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE IN

TERMS OF THE WORLD WRESTLING

ENTERTAINMENT EITHER.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO

NOTE THAT SOME PEOPLE WERE VERY

INTERESTED IN WHAT WENT ON LAST

MONDAY NIGHT.

SOME PEOPLE AS A MATTER OF FACT

LOVED IT, LIKE

BUT 75% OF THE RESPONSES WERE

POSITIVE.

THERE WERE SOME THAT HAD BEEN

DYING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO

HAPPEN WITH THE WWE PRODUCT,

BECAUSE IT WAS SO SUGARY AND SO

SWEET.

THIS ONE'S FROM PAT.

HE SAYS ON HIS EMAIL, "I SWEAR,

GIVE ME MORE OF THIS NEXT WEEK

AND I'LL NEVER WATCH WCW AGAIN."

SOME PEOPLE LOVED IT, YOU

KNOW, SOME PEOPLE HATED IT.

I JUST HAD TO SAY YOU GUYS

NEED TO REALLY CLEAN UP YOUR

ACT, YOU KNOW, THE WRESTLING IS

A KIDS' SHOW.

THE LANGUAGE I DON'T FEEL IS

NECESSARY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO REASON

FOR THE GUN.

WE CREATED A GREAT DEAL OF

CONTROVERSY.

THE HOME INVASION THING IS JUST

TOTALLY NEW.

AND IT--YOU KNOW, IT GOT PEOPLE

TALKING, NO DOUBT.

I NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD RETURN

TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, NO

PUN INTENDED, BUT I THOUGHT WE

WOULD OPEN A LOT OF EYES BY

DOING IT.

GETTING ON THE AIRPLANE THE

NEXT DAY AND A LOT OF THE WCW

GUYS WERE GETTING ON THE SAME

AIRCRAFT.

AND, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE KIND OF

SHOCKED AND BLOWN AWAY A LITTLE

BIT BY IT AND THOUGHT WE WERE

GETTING KIND OF CRAZY.

I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE

PIVOTAL MOMENTS AFTER THEY

PRETTY MUCH WHIPPED OUR --

THEREFORE WHILE IN THE RATINGS,

IT HELPED US START IN THE

CORNER.

[MUSIC]

READY FOR ACTION AND

SO STANDING BY, STONE COLD,

WE UNDERSTAND.

WE APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT HAPPENED

LAST WEEK WITH STONE COLD.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL YOU EVER

SEEM TO DO, MCMAHON...

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

...IS APOLOGIZE.

RIGHT.

AND PERSONALLY, I THINK IT'S

PATHETIC.

AS MONDAY NITRO SUSTAINED ITS

LEAD OVER RAW IN THE RATINGS.

STEVE AUSTIN.

OH, GOD, A SICKENING THUD ON

THE STEEL CHAIR ON THE CRANIUM

OF THE UNDERTAKER.

VINCE MCMAHON CONTINUED TO

BREAK AWAY FROM TRADITIONAL

PROGRAMMING.

THE WWE SUPERSTARS BEGAN TO

DEVELOP MORE ABRASIVE PERSONAS.

I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT

ANYBODY THINKS OF ME.

[CROWD CHEERING]

SHUT UP.

OUR OWN ATTITUDES CAME BEFORE

WE DUBBED IT THE ATTITUDE ERA.

THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I THINK

THE COMPANY RECOGNIZED, LIKE,

"HOLY COW, WE HAVE GOT A TON OF

REBELS ON OUR HAND.

HOW ABOUT WE CAPTURE THAT?"

THE FACE OF THE COMPANY WAS

CHANGING AND THE ATTITUDE OF THE

COMPANY WAS CHANGING.

THIS JUST GOT REAL.

THIS IS GREAT.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS

NEXT WEEK.

STOP HIM, DAMN IT.

IT BECAME THE AGE OF THE

ANTIHERO.

NOBODY PERSONIFIED AN ANTIHERO

MORE THAN STONE COLD STEVE

AUSTIN.

IF ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE ROCKY

MAIVIA GET HIS -- WHIPPED, GIVE

ME A HELL YEAH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I THOUGHT.

NOBODY REBELLED AGAINST

AUTHORITY BETTER THE

D-GENERATION X.

SUCK IT.

UNBELIEVABLE.

OH, THAT'S CLASSY.

IT WAS NO LONGER COOL TO BE

THE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR.

IT WAS COOL TO BE THE BAD --

DRINKING THE BEERS.

WWE HAD BEGUN TO TURN THE

CORNER WITH THE EVOLUTION OF

THEIR MOST POPULAR CHARACTERS.

SUCK IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

BUT IN ORDER TO REGAIN THE

RATINGS LEAD, VINCE MCMAHON

WOULD TAKE A GAMBLE AND THE

CREATIVE DIRECTION OF THE ENTIRE

COMPANY WOULD UNDERGO A SIMILAR

TRANSFORMATION.

YOU GOT TO REMEMBER OUR

AUDIENCE, IT WASN'T AS MUCH

ABOUT KIDS ANYMORE AS IT WAS

ABOUT YOUNG ADULTS WHO WE WERE

TARGETING.

AUSTIN IS GOING DIRECTLY TO

JAIL.

THERE'S NO MORE BUBBLEGUM

ANYMORE.

THERE'S NO MORE HOKEY STUFF,

IT'S MORE REAL.

YOU ARE ALL OF A SUDDEN SEEING

STUFF THAT YOU NORMALLY DIDN'T

SEE.

GOLDUST [INDISTINCT]

I DON'T THINK SO.

EVERY NOW AND THEN, WE WOULD

GO TO THE EDGE, YOU KNOW, WITH

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE A LITTLE

BIT.

AND A LOT ON THE ORGANIZATION

FEELING, "YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT

GOOD."

IF YOU PUT THE LETTER S IN

FRONT OF HITMAN, YOU'VE HAD MY

EXACT OPINION OF BRET HART.

THE WRESTLING PURISTS THOUGHT

WE'RE CRAZING.

"THOSE WEREN'T WRESTLING.

MAYBE IT'S NOT THE SMARTEST

THING TO DO, VINCE.

AND WE OUGHT JUST BACK AWAY IN

THIS ONE."

WE PULL YOUR STRING AND I

PULL YOUR STRING AND TELL YOU TO

TALK, SHUT UP.

EVERYONE OF US, "WHAT IS HE

DOING?

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?"

WAIT A MINUTE.

THIS IS REALLY--THIS IS GETTING

MORE BIZARRE BY THE MOMENT.

MUCH TO VINCE'S CREDIT, THERE

WAS A GAME PLAN.

WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THIS AND

THIS IS GOING TO WORK.

YOU DON'T WANT TO PUSH THE

ENVELOPE, BUT YOU DO WANT TO

RAISE THE BAR.

WHO HERE IS A RATINGS SCRUB?

AS WWE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE,

VINCE MCMAHON WOULD STAND BEHIND

THIS PROGRESSION BY INFORMING

VIEWERS, NETWORKS, AND SPONSORS

THAT MONDAY NIGHT RAW WAS

OFFICIALLY EMBARKING ON A NEW

AGE IN SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT.

IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN HERE IN THE

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT,

BUT NOW MORE THAN EVER TRUER

WORDS HAVE NEVER BEEN SPOKEN.

THIS IS A CONSCIOUS EFFORT ON

OUR PART TO OPEN THE CREATIVE

ENVELOPE SO TO SPEAK IN ORDER TO

ENTERTAIN YOU IN A MORE

CONTEMPORARY MANNER.

EVEN THOUGH WE CALL OURSELVES

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BECAUSE OF

THE ATHLETICISM INVOLVED, THE

KEYWORD IN THAT PHRASE IS

ENTERTAINMENT.

CREDIT VINCE MCMAHON FOR

BEING A GENIUS AND A FORWARD

THINKER.

AT THAT TIME, HE KNEW THE

DIRECTION IN WHICH SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT WAS GOING.

WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR DAMNEDEST

TO ENTERTAIN YOU.

WE IN THE WWE THINK THAT YOU,

THE AUDIENCE, ARE QUITE FRANKLY

TIRED OF HAVING YOUR

INTELLIGENCE INSULTED.

WE ALSO THINK THAT YOU'RE TIRED

OF THE SAME OLD SIMPLISTIC

THEORY OF GOOD GUYS VERSUS BAD

GUYS.

YOU WOULD NOT START TO SEE A

GOOD GUY VERSUS A BAD GUY

ANYMORE.

YOU KNOW, SOME GUYS, WE DIDN'T

EVEN KNOW IF THEY WERE GOOD GUYS

OR BAD GUYS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF SHADES

OF GRAY.

WHETHER IT'S LEGAL OR

ILLEGAL, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO GET

THEIR -- WHIPPED.

IT WAS THE ANTIHERO THAT WAS

COMING IN AND SAYING, "I'M THE

GOOD GUY.

I'M GONNA WHOOP YOUR -- ."

THIS IS GOING TO BE A

DIFFERENT KIND OF WRESTLING.

MICHAELS IS GETTING BEAT TO A

PULP.

AND GOOD GUYS ARE EVEN GOING

TO DO BAD THINGS AND BAD GUYS

ARE GOING TO DO GOOD THINGS.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT

HAPPENS, WE'RE THROWING

EVERYTHING AGAINST THE WALL.

WE'VE EMBARKED UPON A FAR

MORE INNOVATIVE AND CONTEMPORARY

CREATIVE CAMPAIGN WHICH IS FAR

MORE INVIGORATING AND

EXTEMPORANEOUS THAN EVER BEFORE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THIS IS GOOD.

I MEAN WE'RE NOT GONNA SIT BACK

AND TAKE IT.

WE'RE GONNA BE DISHING IT OUT.

WE'RE GONNA BE ON THE OFFENSIVE.

WE'RE GONNA PUSH THE ENVELOPE.

THROUGH SOME 50 YEARS, THE

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT

HAS BEEN AN ENTERTAINMENT

MAINSTAY HERE IN NORTH AMERICA

AND ALL OVER THE WORLD.

ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT

LONGEVITY IS AS THE TIMES HAVE

CHANGED, SO HAVE WE.

IT REALLY WAS A BOLD

STATEMENT BY VINCE TO COME OUT

AND JUST SAY, "LISTEN, WE'RE

GONNA TAKE OUR CREATIVE IN A

WHOLE NEW DIRECTION."

OH, HELL YEAH.

IT WAS A RISK.

IT WASN'T JUST RIDING A POP

CULTURE WAVE OF THE AGE OF THE

ANTIHERO.

OH, AUSTIN JUST GAVE A

STUNNER TO THE COMMISSIONER.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE NETWORKS MIGHT REBEL.

THE ADVERTISERS MIGHT PANIC.

WHOA.

THIS WAS DOING THINGS WITH

YOUR PRODUCT THAT COULD BE USED

TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.

OH, MY.

OH MY GOSH.

GOOD LORD, HAVE MERCY.

OR USED AGAINST YOU AS WELL.

I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS

NEW VIBRANT CREATIVE DIRECTION

HAS RESULTED IN A HUGE INCREASE

IN TELEVISION VIEWERSHIP FOR

WHICH WE THANK USA NETWORK AND

TSN FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE THE

CREATIVE FREEDOM, BUT MOST

ESPECIALLY, WE WOULD LIKE TO

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

RAW IN THE WAR ZONE ARE

DEFINITELY THE CURE FOR THE

COMMON SHOW.

THE ATTITUDE ERA HAD

OFFICIALLY BEGUN.

MOST PEOPLE HAD THE WRONG

IMPRESSION ABOUT THE WORLD

WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT.

WE'RE A NON-VIOLENT FORM OF

ENTERTAINMENT.

WE NEVER USE SEX TO ENHANCE

OUR IMAGE.

YES.

AS ATHLETES, WE UNDERSTAND

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING POSITIVE

ROLE MODELS.

WE'VE GOT A WHOLESOME FAMILY

ENTERTAINMENT.

WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE

WORLD A BETTER PLACE FOR

MANKIND.

WWE ATTITUDE.

GET IT?

BY BREAKING AWAY FROM

TRADITIONS AND EMBRACING THE NEW

CREATIVE DIRECTION, VINCE

MCMAHON WOULD MATCH THE SUCCESS

OF HIS COMPETITORS.

KIDS, CUT THE REHEARSAL.

IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED,

WWE WOULD EVENTUALLY OVERTAKE

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING FOR

THE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT CROWN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, NO.

GOLDUST STUNNED BY AUSTIN.

BY INCORPORATING A

WELL-BALANCED BLEND OF

ENTERTAINING GENRES INTO THEIR

PRODUCT.

LOOK OUT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

THE SHIFT TO THE ATTITUDE ERA

DIDN'T BRING IMMEDIATE OVERNIGHT

SUCCESS, BUT THE LONG-TERM

STRATEGY WAS BEGINNING TO YIELD

RESULTS IN JANUARY OF 1998 AS

RAW'S RATINGS WERE ON THE RISE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

SUCK IT.

SUCK IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

EVOLVING INTO A MORE

CONTEMPORARY VARIETY SHOW, ONE

OF THE MOST NOTICEABLE

DIFFERENCES IN WWE PROGRAMMING

CAME IN THE FORM OF INCREASED

SEXUALITY PIONEERED BY

D-GENERATION X.

CONSTANTLY DOING THE SEXUAL

INNUENDO, WE KNEW WE WERE ONTO

SOMETHING.

SHAWN AND I BOTH GOT JUMBO

WEENIES.

[CROWD CHEERING]

BUT, CHYNA, SHOW US WHAT

YOU'RE BRINGING TO THE BARBECUE,

GIRL.

THAT IS THE BIG STICK.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHEN YOU SEE IT START TO

WORK, IT'S REALLY EASY TO GO TO,

"HEY, LET'S MAKE A PORN STAR

CHARACTER."

[MUSIC]

HELLO, LADIES.

[MUSIC]

THE WWE ROSTER WOULD UNDERGO

A SEXUALLY CHARGED

TRANSFORMATION DURING THE

ATTITUDE ERA AS FANS EMBRACED

THE RACIER PERSONAS OF THESE

RAUNCHY SUPERSTARS.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

HERE COMES THE LOVABLE

GODFATHER.

GODFATHER, A LITTLE BIT OF AN

EDGY CHARACTER, YOU KNOW.

A FAR CRY FROM BEING A VOODOO

SHAMAN.

PAPA SHANGO.

BUT PUT A PIMP SUIT ON THE

GUY AND BRING OUT A BUNCH OF

GIRLS AND EVERYONE'S LIKE, "THIS

GUY IS AWESOME.

THIS IS GREAT."

IT'S TIME ONCE AGAIN FOR

EVERYBODY TO COME ABOARD THE...

[CROWD CHEERING]

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A

BIGGER FAN OF THE GODFATHER AND

THE HO TRAIN THAN THE KING.

IT'S THE HO TRAIN.

[BELL RINGING]

HO TRAIN, WHAT ABOUT IT, JR?

GODFATHER WITH SOME FINE

STEEL CITY HOS HERE TONIGHT.

SOMEONE HAD THE JOB OF

ACTUALLY GOING INTO A CITY AND

LINING UP THE TALENT FOR THE HO

TRAIN, OFFERING THE OPPORTUNITY

TO BE ON TELEVISION.

CAN YOU IMAGINE THE GRATITUDE

THAT THESE GIRLS WOULD SHOW?

I THOUGHT I'D GET THE HO VOTE

WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR DOWN IN

MEMPHIS, BUT I DIDN'T.

HOS DON'T VOTE.

THEY DON'T CARE WHO GETS IN.

I BEG YOUR PARDON?

THE SEXUAL INNUENDO, ALL HAVE

SHOCKED TELEVISION.

THAT'S WHERE THE WORLD WAS AT

THE TIME.

THE BIG VALBOWSKI IS EXACTLY

LIKE THE RUBIK'S CUBE.

THE LONGER YOU PLAY WITH IT, THE

HARDER IT GETS.

IT WAS REALLY ON PAR WITH

WHAT WAS OUT THERE IN TERMS OF

LATE NIGHT TV, YOU KNOW, 9:00 TO

11:00 IN THE MARKETPLACE.

MALE SUPERSTARS HAD GOTTEN

ATTENTION USING SEXUAL INNUENDO.

COMMITTING TO RACIER

PROGRAMMING, VINCE MCMAHON

SOUGHT TO EXPAND THE ROLE OF

WWE'S FEMALE TALENT AS WELL.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

[MUSIC]

EMBODYING A BLEND OF

SEXUALITY AND CHARISMA, THE

TRADITIONAL MOLD OF FEMALE

PERSONALITIES HAD BEEN GIVEN A

MAKEOVER WITH THE INTRODUCTION

OF WWE'S INAUGURAL DIVA, SUNNY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU

THE NEWEST, HOTTEST, SEXIEST

THING GOING TODAY IN THE WORLD

WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT,

ME, SUNNY.

[MUSIC]

IT WAS VERY PG WHEN I FIRST

STARTED.

LIKE UNDER MY LITTLE BODYDONNA

SKIRTS, I HAD TO LIKE FULL BACK,

YOU KNOW, LITTLE BLOOMERS ON.

[MUSIC]

AND THEN WE STARTED SWITCHING

A LITTLE BIT WITH THE SEXUALITY

AND SENSUALITY.

[MUSIC]

THERE WOULD BE SUNNY IN HER

LITTLE TOP AND LIKE YOU'RE IN

HIGH SCHOOL, YOU'RE A KID,

YOU'RE JUST LIKE, "OH, MY GOSH."

[MUSIC]

SUNNY JUST FLAUNTED HER

SEXUALITY, ABSOLUTELY BROKE THE

MOLD FOR WOMEN.

SUNNY'S UNBRIDLED SEX APPEAL

WAS A FAR CRY FROM FEMALE

TALENTS OF YEARS PAST.

OH, YEAH.

I'M GONNA TAKE IT ALL.

ELIZABETH, AM I GONNA TAKE IT

ALL OR WHAT?

YES, SIR.

WHAT ABOUT IT, ELIZABETH?

I BELIEVE HE IS.

NO LONGER TYPECAST AS DEMURE

VALETS OR AFTERTHOUGHT

ENTERTAINERS, THE ATTITUDE ERA

BROUGHT WITH IT A CHANGE IN

GENDER ROLES.

OUR FEMALES WENT FROM BEING

THE TRADITIONAL LADY WRESTLERS

AS IT WAS CALLED BEFOREHAND TO

BECOMING SEXY.

THEY WERE FUN, THEY WERE

MANIPULATIVE.

THEY WERE NOW A PART OF

STORYLINE.

YOU ALL GIVE US A GOOD MATCH

NOW, YOU HEAR?

THE WOMEN OF WWE CAPTIVATED

MONDAY NIGHT RAW'S MALE

AUDIENCE.

AND IT WOULD NOT GO UNNOTICED BY

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

HEY.

SUNNY FAN CLUB, THAT'S HER

OWN FAN CLUB AROUND RINGSIDE

HERE TONIGHT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

GUYS WATCH SHOWS THAT HAVE

GOOD LOOKING WOMEN ON THE SHOW.

I THOUGHT, "WELL, WHAT--WAIT A

MINUTE.

THIS IS REALLY SIMPLE.

WHAT DID THE DALLAS COWBOYS DO?

THEY HAVE CHEERLEADERS, THEY'RE

HOT."

SO I THOUGHT, "WHY NOT DO THE

SAME THING?

I'LL CREATE THE NITRO GIRLS."

[MUSIC]

IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE GORGEOUS

NITRO GIRLS OUT HERE, CERTAINLY

IS A NICE DIVERSION FROM THE NEW

WORLD ORDER, ISN'T IT?

SO I PUT THEM RIGHT OUT

BEFORE WE GO TO COMMERCIAL

BREAK.

LIVE AUDIENCE FOR THE THREE OR

FOUR MINUTES THAT WE'RE DARK

ANYWAY.

SO THE FORMULA WORKED REALLY

WELL.

AND THE NITRO GIRLS COME OUT.

THE NITRO GIRLS WAS A GOOD

START AT FIRST.

THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO

EXPAND IT OR MAKE IT EVOLVE.

SO WHAT VINCE DOES, HE HAS A

GOOD IDEA.

HE MAKES IT EVOLVE.

[MUSIC]

LOOK, JR. HEY, LOOK.

I SEE IT, KING.

[CROWD CHEERING]

VINCE MCMAHON'S INCORPORATION

OF WOMEN AND SEXUALITY REACHED

NEW HEIGHTS.

THE BIKINI CONTEST.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AND THE DAYS OF WWE'S PG

PROGRAMMING WOULD BECOME A

DISTANT MEMORY.

I GOT TO GET UP CLOSER IN

PERSON WITH THE PUPPIES.

HANG ON.

[CROWD CHEERING]

REMEMBER KING SAYING PUPPIES

A LOT.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR DEBRA AND

HER PUPPIES.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I BECAME KNOWN FOR THAT.

I BECAME LIKE A PERVERTED KIND

OF GUY THAT JUST ALL I WANTED TO

DO WAS SEE PUPPIES AND NOTHING

COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

WWE WAS BREAKING THROUGH

BARRIERS BY WAY OF EXPLICIT

CONTENT, BUT THERE WAS A GROWING

CONCERN THAT VINCE MCMAHON HAD

GONE TOO FAR FOR THE SAKE OF

RATINGS.

HERE I AM, YOUR VALENTINE.

OH, BOY.

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, KING?

NOBODY EXPECTED VINCE TO LET

THINGS GO THAT FAR OUT AND PUSH

THE ENVELOPE LIKE THAT.

A LOT OF TIMES, THE LINE WAS

CROSSED.

SEX WAS BEING USED TO LURE

VIEWERS IN.

MORE PEOPLE WERE TURNING ON BUT

SOME WERE HAVING TO TURN OFF,

BECAUSE IT WAS SO HEAVY.

PUPPIES.

OH, NO.

OH, LORD

NO, MAE.

NOBODY WANTS TO SEE YOUR

MAE, WE DON'T NEED YOUR...

OH, NO, WAIT.

WE DON'T NEED TO SEE YOUR

PUPPIES, MAE.

NO.

MAE, DON'T DO IT.

THOSE AREN'T PUPPIES.

THOSE ARE...

YOU'LL KILL THE KING.

[MUSIC]

THOSE ARE MASSIVE!

OH, LORD.

DON'T DO IT.

[MUSIC]

I REMEMBER BISCHOFF AT TEAM

MEETINGS AND HE WOULD SAY THINGS

LIKE, YOU KNOW, "IN THE NEXT SIX

MONTHS, VINCE IS GONNA LOSE ALL

THEIR SPONSORS AND I GUARANTEE

WWE'S GONNA CLOSE FOREVER.

I GUARANTEE IT.

IT'S A VERDICT.

I TELL YOU, THIS WILL HAPPEN."

AND IT WAS KIND OF JUST THE

OPPOSITE THAT MORE AND MORE

PEOPLE WERE COMING OVER TO SEE

WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[BELL RINGING]

THERE WERE PARENTS CALLING

AND, "WE'RE NEVER GONNA LET OUR

CHILDREN WATCH THIS STUFF AGAIN.

YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU

THINKING?"

AND THEN YET THE NEXT WEEK, THE

RATINGS WERE BETTER.

THE INFUSION OF CARNAL

CONTENT HAD PAID OFF.

[MUSIC]

WWE'S CONTINUED SUCCESS

MIRRORED THAT OF SABLE, THE

COMPANY'S MOST POPULAR DIVA WHO

HAD EMERGED AS ONE OF MONDAY

NIGHT RAW'S MAIN ATTRACTIONS

A SABLE BOMB.

SABLE BOMB.

[CROWD CHEERING]

GOOD LORD.

SABLE JUST TAKEN CARE OF MERO

LIKE A BAD HABIT.

[MUSIC]

I WAS LIKE, "WOW, SHE'S

AMAZING."

SHE'S BEAUTIFUL AND SHE'S

ATHLETIC AND SHE'S GOT A REAL

PERSONALITY ABOUT HER.

THIS IS FOR ALL THE WOMEN WHO

WANT TO BE ME AND FOR THE MEN

WHO COME TO SEE ME.

[CROWD CHEERING]

I MEAN GUYS FROM 18 TO 35,

THEY WERE LOVING IT AT THAT

TIME.

SABLE WAS A RACY RATINGS

MAGNET.

FOR A WHILE, NO MATTER WHERE

THEY PUT SABLE ON, SHE'D BEAT

ANYTHING WE HAD.

AND WOULD WWE REGAIN ITS

FOOTING IN THE WEEKLY

COMPETITION WITH WHAT HAD BECOME

A MORE CONSERVATIVE WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING.

WE GOT STANDARDS AND

PRACTICE GUY IN OUR CREATIVE

ROOM AND THEY'VE GOT VAL VENIS

WITH JENNA JAMESON.

SIZE DOES MATTER.

WONDER WHERE THAT

DEMOGRAPHIC IS GONNA GO?

IT WAS A SHOCK TO SEE ALL

THESE SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PROGRAMS

THAT THEY WERE RUNNING AND

THAT'S WHEN VINCE GOT THE UPPER

HAND.

HE WAS WILLING TO DO THINGS THAT

THOSE AT WCW WEREN'T WILLING TO

DO.

[MUSIC]

TED CALLS ME UP AND, "WELL,

VINCE, SO YOU'RE BEATING US NOW.

SO YOU KNOW WHY YOU'RE BEATING

US, DON'T YOU?"

AND I SAID, "WELL, TED, PLEASE

TELL ME.

YOU KNOW, I'M SURE IT'S NOT

BECAUSE WE HAVE A BETTER

PRODUCT."

"WELL, NO, IT'S BECAUSE YOU SHOW

MORE OF THE TIT."

[MUSIC]

I SAID, "WE WHAT?

I MEAN, COME ON."

[CROWD CHEERING]

HE JUST WOULDN'T GIVE US

CREDIT FOR HAVING A BETTER

PRODUCT.

YOU NEED TO FIND A WAY TO

COMPETE WITH PEOPLE.

AND YOU CAN'T BE SUCKED IN TO

COMPETING WITH THEM THE WAY THEY

WANT YOU TO COMPETE.

YOU HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO WIN

IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

THE COMPETITION BETWEEN TED

TURNER AND VINCE MCMAHON

RESULTED IN A CREATIVE SHIFT

THAT BROUGHT AN EDGE TO MONDAY

NIGHT RAW.

DX, DX, DX.

HOWEVER, THE TWO INDUSTRY

HEAVYWEIGHTS WERE NOT THE ONLY

ONES TRANSFORMING SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

EXTREME CHAMPIONSHIP

WRESTLING, A RENEGADE

UNDERGROUND PROMOTION HAD

ALREADY BEEN BREAKING

TRADITIONS, BUT ON A MUCH

SMALLER SCALE.

OH, MY GOD.

[CROWD CHEERING]

ECW CAME ALONG AND WE HAD

REAL LIFE CHARACTERS, REAL LIFE

STORYLINES, STUFF THAT THEY

NEVER SAW BEFORE, A LOT OF

VIOLENCE.

IT FELT LIKE AN OUTLAW

PROMOTION.

ECW HAD A CERTAIN SPIRIT TO IT

WHERE IT WAS--IT WAS WILD, WILD

WEST AND THEN, I THINK,

ATTRACTED A LOT OF PEOPLE.

YOU REALIZE YOU'RE SEEING

SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN

BEFORE.

THIS IS SOME CUTTING EDGE

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING.

OH, MY GOD.

VAN DAM CLEARED THE ROPES

COMPLETELY.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN

WWE AND WCW LOOKED AT IT AND

WENT, "HMM, THESE GUYS COULD BE

ONTO SOMETHING."

LOOKING TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE,

WWE WOULD TAKE A PAGE OUT OF

ECW'S PLAYBOOK INCORPORATING

MORE VIOLENT MATCHES INTO THEIR

PROGRAM.

FOLKS, I PROMISE YOU, YOU

WON'T SEE THIS ANYWHERE, BUT

HERE AT--AND THERE GOES CACTUS.

OH, NO.

GOOD GRIEF, RIGHT IN THE

TRASH.

ECW HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THE

DIRECTION THAT THE ATTITUDE ERA

WENT IN WWE.

OH, NO.

DON'T YOU DARE DO THAT.

MY GOD, THERE'S PEOPLE IN THERE.

ECW WAS THE EPITOME OF THE

ROUGH AND TUMBLE TYPE STYLE.

WE CAN THINK THAT'S WHAT

ATTITUDE ADOPTED.

MICHAELS IS A BLOODY MESS.

AND TURNED INTO SOMETHING

THAT WAS PUBLICLY ACCEPTABLE ON

A BROADER RANGE.

NO.

NO.

WWE SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT

ECW'S ALTERNATIVE HARDCORE STYLE

TO THE MASSES.

THE FIRST EVER INFERNO MATCH.

AND WOULD GO ON TO CREATE

SOME OF THEIR OWN VIOLENT

INNOVATIONS.

WE HAD A MATCH BETWEEN KANE

AND THE UNDERTAKER WHERE THEY

WERE GONNA SET EACH OTHER ON

FIRE.

THERE WAS ACTUALLY FIRE AROUND

THE RING JUST BLAZING.

NEVER BEFORE ON RAW, NEVER

BEFORE HAS ANYONE EVER SEEN

ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

ALL THE RIDICULOUS

STIPULATIONS, ALL THE

SHENANIGANS THAT WERE THE

ATTITUDE ERA...

OH, THE BOWLING BALL.

BOWLING BALL?

...THEY PUSHED THE ENVELOPE

EVERY WEEK.

IT GOT MORE EDGY, IT GOT MORE

ADULT.

THE CARNAGE OF THE ATTITUDE

ERA EXPANDED BEYOND THE CONFINES

OF THE RING.

AND MONDAY NIGHT RAW BEGAN TO

FEATURE COMPELLING HARDCORE

MATCHES.

I REMEMBER A MATCH WITH AL

SNOW AND HARDCORE HOLLY AT ST.

VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE, THEY

WENT INTO THE RIVER, DOWN THE

STREET.

AND, OH, LOOK AT THIS.

INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,

THAT WATER HAS GOT TO BE 35, 40

DEGREES.

WHAT?

[MUSIC]

WE GOT AWAY WITH SO MANY

THINGS DURING THE ATTITUDE ERA

THAT NOW, SOMETIMES, YOU LOOK

BACK AND SEE SOME OF THAT

FOOTAGE AND YOU THINK, "OH, MY

GOSH.

HOW DID WE DO THAT?"

NO.

NO.

FOR GOD'S SAKE, DON'T DO THAT.

OH, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.

EMBRACING THE GLUTTONY OF

PUNISHMENT, THE NEW DIRECTION

WAS SPEARHEADED BY THE KING OF

HARDCORE, MICK FOLEY.

[MUSIC]

MICK ISN'T AFRAID OF TAKING

RISKS AND LIKES TO SEE WHAT HE

CAN DO AND WHAT HE CAN'T DO AND

WHAT HE CAN GET AWAY WITH.

HE HIT HIM IN THE FACE.

MY GOD.

MY GOD.

CACTUS JACK'S HIT TRIPLE H ON

THE FACE WITH BARBWIRE.

MICK FOLEY WOULD DO

ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING TO PUT ON A

GOOD SHOW.

OH, MAN.

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY.

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY.

DURING THE ATTITUDE ERA, I

WAS ABLE TO UP THE ANTE AND THE

EMOTION AND PHYSICALITY BY

PLAYING OUTSIDE THE RULES.

MICK FOLEY'S INNOVATIONS

DURING THE ATTITUDE ERA'S

BREAKING OF BOUNDARIES PAVED THE

WAY FOR AN ENTIRE HARDCORE

DIVISION DEVOTED TO THIS

ALTERNATIVE STYLE.

THIS IS THE WWE HARDCORE

CHAMPIONSHIP BELT.

I WAS ORIGINALLY GIVEN THE

HARDCORE TITLE AS A JOKE.

YOU'VE EARNED IT.

I MEAN IT WAS A PIECE OF

GARBAGE.

I LOVE IT.

YOU'VE EARNED IT.

I GOT TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I LOVE IT.

IT HAD A LIFE OF ITS OWN WHERE

THE HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP BECAME

A BIG PART OF THE ATTITUDE ERA.

GOOD GOD.

YEAH.

COME ON.

PATTERSON COVERING BRISCO.

WHO'S THE CHAMP NOW?

WELL, I'LL BE DAMNED.

YEAH.

RAISE MY HAND.

RAISE MY HAND.

I'M THE CHAMPION.

LET'S GET OUT OF HERE.

YOU GET A 24/7 ROLE WITH THE

HARDCORE TITLE.

AT ANY POINT, THEY CAN JUST CUT

BACKSTAGE AND SOMEONE'S GETTING

THEIR HEAD TAKEN OFF AND GETTING

PINNED TO BECOME A NEW HARDCORE

CHAMPION.

JUST TRY TO COVER HIM.

GERALD BRISCO IS THE HARDCORE

CHAMPION.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?

GERALD BRISCO IS THE HARDCORE

CHAMPION.

YOU'RE CRASH HOLLY.

YEAH.

YEAH.

YOU'RE THE HARDCORE CHAMP.

YEAH.

YOU DEFEND YOUR TITLE 24/7,

DON'T YOU?

YEAH.

THAT'S OVER THERE.

TRY TO...

WE ALL WOULD BE OFF THE AIR

ALMOST AND THEN REALIZE, "OH,

LOT."

AND THEN THERE WAS, YOU

A FOREIGN OBJECT.

ONE, TWO...

THIS IS ACTUALLY IN THE

BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA AT THE NEWARK

AIRPORT.

I REMEMBER THEM GOING IN A

PLAYGROUND AND THEY WERE GOING

DOWN SLIDES, RUNNING DOWN LIKE

THE PLAY PENS.

I USED TO LOVE IT.

YOU HAD LIKE GIRLS GOING AFTER

THE TITLE, LIKE IT WAS 24/7

NONSTOP.

WE GOT A HO IN THE RING.

WE'VE GOT HOS IN THE RING.

WHAT?

[CROWD CHEERING]

[BELL RINGING]

WHEN WCW DID COUNTER WITH

THEIR OWN HARDCORE TACTICS, THE

RESULTS WERE UNDERWHELMING.

THERE'S THE BRAND NEW WCW

HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP.

I THINK IDEAS DON'T CHANGE.

I THINK THE WAY YOU PRESENT THEM

DO.

WCW WAS PLAYING CATCH UP TO WWE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, HE PILEDROVE HIM.

OH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE ATTITUDE ERA, THERE WAS A

WHOLE LOT OF VIOLENCE, LIKE,

VINCE MADE IT WHERE, YOU KNOW,

"WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT WHERE YOU

CAN'T COMPETE."

AND THEY DID.

THE FIRST EVER JUNKYARD

INVITATIONAL MATCH.

WERE THEY SEARCHING FOR

SOMETHING?

SURE.

I'M SURE THEY WERE SEARCHING FOR

SOMETHING, BECAUSE SOMEBODY WAS

TRYING TO KEEP THEIR JOB.

WAIT.

I'M NOT SURE WE CAN CALL THIS.

LET'S JUST WATCH IT.

AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IT

JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.

SOONER OR LATER, THE BOTTOM'S

WE'RE NOT DELIVERING ANYTHING.

[MUSIC]

VIAGRA ON A POLE MATCH, KING.

ARE YOU--I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,

YOU CAN'T COME OUT AND LIVE FOR

A MATCH LIKE THIS.

YOU GOT TO GIVE IT UP RIGHT AWAY

AND KEEP IT UP.

SOMETIMES, YOU CAN PUSH THE

ENVELOPES SO MUCH, YOU'RE OUT OF

BUSINESS.

YOU KNOW, YOU RUN OVER SOMEBODY

WITH A CAR, THEN A TRUCK, THEN A

BUS, THEN A TRAIN, THEN AN

AIRPLANE, AND PRETTY SOON,

YOU'RE GOING--THERE'S NOTHING

ELSE LEFT TO DO, YOU KNOW.

THIS IS MATCH IS NOW A JUDY

BAGWELL ON A FORKLIFT MATCH.

A WHAT?

WCW AT THAT TIME WERE

LITERALLY IMPLODING FROM THE

INSIDE WHEN WWE WAS JUST GETTING

STRONGER, AND STRONGER, AND

STRONGER EVERYDAY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AS THE ENTIRE COMPANY WAS

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE ATTITUDE

ERA'S EXPANDING VIOLENCE...

[CROWD CHEERING]

...WWE'S DAREDEVIL PLAYGROUND

GAVE HUNGRY YOUNG TALENTS THEIR

CHANCE TO SHINE.

TABLES, AND LADDERS, AND

CHAIRS, OH, MY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

YOU CAN JUST FEEL THIS GROUND

SWELL LIKE THIS KIND OF TSUNAMI

STARTING.

IT WAS LIKE, "OKAY, OKAY, OKAY,

OKAY."

UNTIL WE STARTED, YOU KNOW,

FALLING OFF THOSE LADDERS AND

DOING BAD, BAD THINGS FOR OUR

BODIES.

[CROWD CHEERING]

LOOK AT EDGE.

AND LITA.

WE HAD EDGE AND CHRISTIAN,

THE HARDYS, THE DUDLEYS, AMAZING

CHEMISTRY.

NOW, YOU'RE THROWING TABLES,

LADDERS, AND CHAIRS IN THERE,

LIKE, WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE

MORE EXCITING?

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SIX GUYS

THAT JUST WANTED TO GO UP AND

TEAR THE HOUSE DOWN.

THEY'RE TRYING TO STEAL THE

SHOW.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE TLCS WEAR THAT

INSTRUMENT.

WE WOULD GO OUT THERE AND JUST

TURN IT OUT, MAN, AND DO SOME

REALLY CREATIVE SPOTS.

WE'RE REALLY ORIGINAL IN WHAT WE

DID.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT IT

JUST NEVER BEEN SEEN ON WWE

PROGRAMMING, YOU KNOW, WHICH WAS

COOL.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THEIR YOUNG GUYS WERE GOING

OUT THERE AND THEY WERE JUST TOO

STRONG AND THEY WERE TOO HUNGRY

FOR US TO KEEP UP WITH.

[CROWD CHEERING]

LOOK OUT--LOOK OUTSIDE.

OH, MY GOD.

JEFF HARDY'S OVER 20 FEET, FOR

THE LOVE OF GOD.

AND THEN THE INVERTED LEAP.

DON'T DO IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

SWANTON BOMB, TOP OF THE

LADDER TO THE FLOOR, THROUGH THE

TABLE.

GOODNIGHT, BUBBA RAY DUDLEY.

AND GOODNIGHT, JEFF HARDY.

THEY'RE BOTH GONE.

[MUSIC]

THE ARTISTIC LIBERTIES OF

WWE'S ATTITUDE ERA NOT ONLY

BROUGHT IN-RING INNOVATIONS TO

MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, MY GOD, JEFF HANGING.

NO.

OH, MY GOD.

[CROWD CHEERING]

BUT ALSO USHERED IN A MORE

ENTERTAINING INTERACTIVE

EXPERIENCE WITH THE FANS IN

ATTENDANCE.

LET'S GET READY TO SUCK IT.

TALENTS LIKE D-GENERATION X

AND STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN HAD

HELPED REVOLUTIONIZE WWE'S

INTERVIEWS.

AND THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE,

BECAUSE STONE COLD SAID SO.

BUT ONE YOUNG SUPERSTAR WOULD

USE THIS CREATIVE PLATFORM TO

IMMERGE AS ONE OF SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT'S ALL TIME GREATS.

THE ROCK IS GONNA DO TO YOU

EXACTLY WHAT HE DOES BEST AND

THAT'S LAY THE SMACKDOWN ON YOUR

CANDY -- .

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE ATTITUDE ERA ALLOWED A

PLATFORM FOR ME TO ENGAGE

AUDIENCES AND GO OUT THERE AND

DO AND SAY ANYTHING I WANTED TO.

IF THEY KNEW THEIR ROLL, SHUT

THEIR MOUTH AND LISTEN, THEY ARE

CHANTING THE ROCK'S NAME.

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHAT?

LISTEN TO THAT.

WHAT HE DID WAS HE GAVE THEM

HIS HAND AND HE SAID, "COME ON,

WE'RE GONNA GO ON A RIDE."

AND HE DID IT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT,

UNDERTAKER, THE ROCK TALKS TRASH

IN HIS SLEEP JUST LIKE THIS,

ROODY-POO, CANDY...

[CROWD CHEERING]

LAY IT AND SMACK IT DOWN ON

THEIR CANDY -- .

I WAS FLYING BY THE SEE THE --

PANTS.

AND I MEAN THAT IN THE BEST WAY.

I WAS EVERY NIGHT EXCITED.

I WAS READY TO GO OUT AND

ELECTRIFY.

[CROWD CHEERING]

BIG SHOW, YOU THINK YOU

IMPRESS THE ROCK?

LET THE ROCK MAKE SOMETHING

PERFECTLY CLEAR TO YOU, IS YOU

HAVE NEVER, AND THE ROCK

MEANS...

[CROWD CHEERING]

...EVER IMPRESS THE ROCK FROM

THE TIME YOUR CRAPPY MUSIC HITS,

"WELL, IT'S THE BIG SLOW."

[CROWD CHEERING]

WHEN YOU DEAL WITH THE KIND

OF TALENT THAT YOU HAVE WITH

ROCK, THEN YOU LET HIM DO WHAT

THEY WANNA DO.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AND EVERY SINGLE ROCK FAN

STOPS, PAUSES, AND TAKES A LOOK,

AND THEY ALL SAY THIS, "I'M

GOING TO TAKE A LEAK.

THIS GUY SUCKS."

[CROWD CHEERING]

UH-OH.

SPURRED ON BY THE ROCK, WWE'S

LOCKER ROOM CAPITALIZED ON THIS

ENTERTAINING FORM OF EXPRESSION.

GODFATHER, THIS IS CALLED A

PROPHYLACTIC.

[CROWD CHEERING]

A WHAT?

[CROWD CHEERING]

THEN EVERYBODY'S HAVING FUN

BECAUSE NOW EVERYBODY GETS

TURNED LOOSE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OR YOU COULD KISS MY ROYAL

-- .

THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE WERE

PUSHING EACH OTHER TO LITERALLY

GO OUT THERE AND GO, "PLEASE,

FOLLOW THAT."

[CROWD CHEERING]

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS.

KANE'S GOT TWO WORDS FOR US?

SUCK IT.

KANE.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

NOT ONLY ON TELEVISION, BUT

IN THE LOCKER ROOM, GUYS WERE

TRYING TO OUTDO EACH OTHER.

MY NAME IS KANE.

AND I AM A ROODY-POO CANDY

-- .

[CROWD CHEERING]

AS OPENING THE CREATIVE

ENVELOPE HELPED WWE SUPERSTARS

THRIVE, AN AGING ROSTER AND

TIRED FORMULA IN WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING HINDERED

MONDAY NITRO FROM KEEPING PACE

WITH MONDAY NIGHT RAW.

IN CONTRAST TO WWE'S ATTITUDE,

WCW'S CREATIVE REMAINED FAIRLY

ONE DIMENSIONAL AND CONTINUED TO

FOCUS ON NWO CENTRIC STORYLINES.

IT'S JUST LIKE THE GOOD OLD

DAYS, THE ENTIRE NWO BACK

TOGETHER AGAIN.

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH WCW

IS THEY BANK SO HEAVILY ON THE

NWO THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE

TO GO FROM THERE.

IT WASN'T THE COUNTERCULTURE

THAT IT HAD BEEN.

HEY, MAN.

HERE YOU GO.

WHOA.

NOW, THIS PLACE IS...

THIS IS 500.

I GOT TO WEAR THAT?

THEY WERE WAY OUTSIDE THE BOX

THAT I WAS PLAYING IN.

YOU KNOW, I HAD--I HAD KIND OF

EXPANDED THE BOX QUITE A BIT,

YOU KNOW, CREATIVELY SPEAKING.

NOW, WWE WAS EXPANDING IT EVEN

MORE.

NOTHING LASTS FOREVER.

YOU'VE GOT TO ALWAYS BRING UP

SOMETHING NEW, OTHERWISE, YOUR

AUDIENCE, AFTER THREE OR FOUR

MONTHS OR FIVE MONTHS IS GONNA

SEE THE SAME JOHN WAYNE MOVIE

OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER AND

SAY, "I NEED SOMETHING NEW."

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE

MORE THEY STAY THE SAME, BECAUSE

YOU, MY FRIEND, ARE STILL KING

OF THE HILL.

[MUSIC]

HE LOOKED AROUND AND SAID,

"WHOA, WE'RE ALL SUCCESSFUL."

"WELL, WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT?

WE ENJOY IT."

NO, YOU DEFEND IT BECAUSE THIS

GUY IS COMING FOR YOU AND THE

GUY HAPPENED TO BE VINCE

AND HE'LL DO ANYTHING TO TAKE

THAT NUMBER ONE SPOT BACK.

WHEN YOU'RE IN A COMPETITION

LIKE THAT WHEN IT'S YOUR

COMPANY, AND YOUR LIFE, AND YOUR

LIVELIHOOD ON THE LINE,

DEFINITELY YOU'RE PUTTING

EVERYTHING OUT THERE.

YOU'RE GIVING IT YOUR ALL.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

WWE'S ATTITUDE ERA HAD

SHIFTED THE TIDE IN THE MONDAY

NIGHT WAR, THANKS TO INCREASED

PHYSICALITY, ADULT-ORIENTED

CONTENT, AND DYNAMIC CHARACTERS.

[MUSIC]

FINALLY, THE ROCK HAS COME

BACK TO BOSTON.

[CROWD CHEERING]

[MUSIC]

TO A STANDING OVATION.

[MUSIC]

ALL THE WHILE, THE DRIVING

FORCE BEHIND WWE'S RESURGENCE

WAS VINCE MCMAHON, BOTH BEHIND

THE SCENES AND ON CAMERA, AS THE

COMPANY'S MOST INFLUENTIAL

VILLAIN, MR. MCMAHON.

CUT THAT DAMN--GET THAT MIC

IT'S MY MIC.

I OWN THAT MIC.

I OWN THAT CAMERA.

CUT IF OFF.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AGGRESSIVE AND

HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE OFF THE CHART.

AND IT WAS SO EASY FOR ME TO BE

AN OVERBEARING ARROGANT PERSON,

I HATED PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

I WILL FIRE YOUR -- .

VINCE MCMAHON BECAME EVIL MR.

MCMAHON AND ANOTHER STAR WAS

BORN.

DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT SCREW

BRET HART?

BRET SCREWED BRET.

I HAVE NO SYMPATHY WHATSOEVER

FOR BRET.

[MUSIC]

VINCE HAD CREATED THE PERFECT

EVIL, GENIUS, GET RICH AT

EVERYBODY'S EXPENSE BOSS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

ALL YOU DO IS MAKE ME SICK.

YOU COULD TELL WHENEVER VINCE

COMES ON THE SHOW AND SAYS STUFF

THAT TOTALLY TURNS UP THE HEAT

ON THE SHOW SO MUCH, HITS THE

CROWD AND EVERYTHING.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE WILL

EVER BE THE HEEL THAT HE WAS.

[MUSIC]

WITH AN ONSCREEN PERSONA AS

AN EVIL CORPORATE DICTATOR, THE

WWE CHAIRMAN CREATED THE PERFECT

COUNTERPART TO THE ANTIHERO

PERSONALITIES AND FAN FAVORITES

OF THE EVOLVING MONDAY NIGHT

RAW.

IT WAS GREAT FOR WWE.

IT WAS GREAT FOR ENTERTAINMENT.

UNDERTAKER, YOU CAN GO TO

HELL.

WHOA.

OH, MY.

AND IT MADE FOR ONE OF THE

GREATEST STORYLINES OF ALL TIME.

[MUSIC]

IT WAS THE RIVALRY BETWEEN

MR. MCMAHON AND THE ATTITUDE

ERA'S SIGNATURE STAR, STONE COLD

STEVE AUSTIN, THAT WOULD LIFT

WWE TO THE TOP OF THE INDUSTRY.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, NO.

[CROWD CHEERING]

NOT AGAIN.

STONE COLD JUST STUNNED THE

OWNER OF THE WWE.

IT WAS JUST THE ANTICS EVERY

WEEK THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO

AND BASICALLY, LIKE, TUNE IN AND

WE'RE ALL GONNA SEE WHAT STONE

COLD STEVE AUSTIN WOULD DO TO

MR. MCMAHON.

[MUSIC]

HOW ABOUT YOU, DOCTOR?

OH, I'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE,

NURSE.

NO, NO, NO.

OH, NO.

NO, NO.

GOD DAMN IT, OH, NO.

HAVING THE WORLD KNOW THIS IS

YOUR BOSS AND YOU CAN STICK IT

TO HIM EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, YOU

GOT THIS JUSTICE EVERY SINGLE

TIME HE WAS OUT THERE PLAYING

OFF MR. MCMAHON.

HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT,

HUH?

THERE WAS NO LONG ARRANGED

PLAN AS FAR AS WHERE WE WANTED

TO GO.

WHERE WE WANTED TO GO WAS HIGHER

AND HIGHER, BUT JUST TO KEEP THE

MOMENTUM.

THE FIRST ONE-ON-ONE MATCH

BETWEEN THE TWO HAD BEEN THE

MAIN EVENT OF MONDAY NIGHT RAW

ON APRIL 13TH, 1998.

[CROWD CHEERING]

HERE WE GO, BABY.

ON THAT NIGHT, RAW DEFEATED

NITRO IN THE RATINGS FOR THE

FIRST TIME IN NEARLY TWO YEARS.

WE HUNG IN THERE WHICH WAS

VERY DIFFICULT AT TIMES AND--BUT

WE HUNG IN THERE UNTIL WE HAD A

BETTER MOUSETRAP.

AND THE AUDIENCE GRAVITATED BACK

TO US.

MAN, THE AUSTIN STORYLINE

WITH VINCE MCMAHON, IT WAS HOT.

BUT AS FAR AS COMBATING IT, I

DON'T THINK WE HAD ANYTHING AT

THAT POINT IN TIME THAT'S GONNA

TEST THAT.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

THEY HAD A GREAT STORYLINE.

IT FELT VERY REAL.

BOTH THOSE GUYS DID A GREAT JOB.

THEY WERE DOING SOME PRETTY

SPECTACULAR THINGS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

DON'T LET HIM IN HERE.

THE BATTLES BETWEEN THE BOSS

AND THE CHAMPION HAD HELPED WWE

CONTINUE THEIR MOMENTUM IN THE

MONTHS THAT FOLLOWED.

[CROWD CHEERING]

OH, YEAH.

AUSTIN GOT MCMAHON.

[CROWD CHEERING]

AND WOULD BECOME THE MOST

PROFITABLE STORYLINE IN SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY.

MCMAHON'S CAR, HIS CORVETTE,

ONE OF HIS COLLECTIONS IS BEING

DESTROYED BY THE RATTLESNAKE.

NO.

[MUSIC]

[CROWD CHEERING]

AS WWE RATINGS AND PROFITS

CONTINUE TO RISE, SO TOO WOULD

THE COMPANY'S PRODUCTION BUDGET.

SEEKING TO GRAB A STRANGLEHOLD

OF THE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

CROWN, VINCE MCMAHON WOULD SPARE

NO EXPENSE.

THE MINDSET AT THE TIME WAS

THIS SHOW IS GONNA BE BETTER

THAN LAST WEEK'S SHOW.

WE LITERALLY WROTE THE SHOW

EVERY SINGLE WEEK WITH A CAN YOU

TOP THIS ATTITUDE.

WAIT A MINUTE.

STONE COLD, STONE COLD WITH A

BEER BATH, A BEER BATH ON THE

CORPORATION.

[CROWD CHEERING]

STONE COLD GIVING THE

CORPORATION A BEER BATH.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.

THEY'LL BE COMING FOR AUSTIN.

[CROWD CHEERING]

SOMEBODY MIGHT THINK OF

SOMETHING AT THE LAST MINUTE AND

THEY WOULD DO WHATEVER IT TOOK

TO GET IT IN THE SHOW.

AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THE

BANK ROLLS WOULD COME OUT AND

WHATEVER IT COST, THAT'S A GREAT

IDEA, LET'S GET IT IN THE SHOW.

NO, NO, NO.

NO.

OH, LOOK AT THAT.

OH, MY GOD.

OH, GOD.

AUSTIN HAS DESTROYED THE ROCK'S

NEW LINCOLN CONTINENTAL WITH

THAT MONSTER TRUCK.

[CROWD CHEERING]

YOU CAN'T PUT A PRICE ON

PUBLICITY WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO

STAY IN BUSINESS.

THE WWE DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO

AND IT MAKES FOR SOME PHENOMENAL

MOMENTS.

WHOA.

HOLY COW!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?

THE DX EXPRESS BUS JUST

EXPLODED!

WITH VINCE MCMAHON

CONTINUOUSLY RAISING THE STAKES,

BOTH COMPANIES ENGAGED IN WEEKLY

BOUTS OF ONE-UPMANSHIP.

I WOULD TELL HIM THINGS THAT

I CAN DO IN THE STUNT BUSINESS

AND THEN THEY WOULD WRITE IT

INTO THE STORYLINE.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS--WE NEED IT

YESTERDAY AND WHATEVER IT TAKES.

STONE COLD...

SNAKE'S ON FIRE.

SNAKE'S ON FIRE.

OH, MY GOD!

OH, MY GOD!

SNAKE'S--OH, NO!

SNAKE'S--OH, MY GOD!

OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS GOOD FOR

THE NETWORK.

IT WAS GOOD FOR OUR SPONSORS.

IT WAS GOOD FOR ADVERTISING.

AND IT PLAYED VERY, VERY WELL

INTO THE PAY-PER-VIEW THINGS.

AS TIME WENT ON, THE

ORGANIZATION BECAME MORE

FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE.

I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS GREAT

LOVE FOR WCW.

THEY SHUT DOWN THE ATM AND IT

TOOK THEM A COUPLE OF YEARS TO

FIGURE IT OUT.

BUT ONE YEAR YOU'RE MAKING 80

MILLION DOLLARS, THE NEXT YEAR

YOU'RE LOSING 80 MILLION

DOLLARS.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GONNA LET

THAT HAPPEN.

WHILE VINCE MCMAHON AND THE

WWE WAS DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT

CREATIVELY TO ATTRACT THE

AUDIENCE THAT I NEEDED SO

DESPERATELY, WE WERE DOING

EVERYTHING WRONG IN TERMS OF

TRYING TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT

A WAY TO KEEP THAT AUDIENCE.

[MUSIC]

WWE'S INCORPORATION OF

ATTITUDE HAD SUCCESSFULLY

SHIFTED THE BALANCE OF POWER AND

LIFTED SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT TO

NEW HEIGHTS.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THE ATTITUDE ERA, IT WAS--IT

WAS A BLAST.

IT WAS A GREAT TIME.

YOU GO INTO AN ARENA AND IT'S

STANDING ROOM ONLY, NO TICKETS

AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, FORGET

ABOUT IT.

IT WAS CRAZY.

EVERY TIME WHEN YOU WERE

WATCHING WWE IN THE ATTITUDE

ERA, YOU LITERALLY WERE WATCHING

AND THEN YOU WOULD GO, "THEY

CAN'T TOP THAT."

AND THEN FIVE MINUTES LATER THEY

TOP IT.

[CROWD CHEERING]

THEY JUST KEPT RAISING THE

BAR.

[MUSIC]

WWE WOULD EVENTUALLY GO ONTO

CLAIM VICTORY OVER WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING IN THE

NEW MILLENNIUM AS THE ATTITUDE

ERA HAD SHATTERED TRADITIONAL

BOUNDARIES, SET TELEVISION

RECORDS, AND REVOLUTIONIZED THE

INDUSTRY...

AND CUT OFF...

GOD ALMIGHTY.

...TO BECOME WHAT MANY

CONSIDER, THE GREATEST ERA IN

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY.

IT WAS THE MOST FUN TIME TO

WATCH OUR PRODUCT.

WE HAD LARGER THAN LIFE

SUPERSTARS, IN YOUR FACE

PROGRAMMING.

ALL OF THOSE SUPERSTARS AND

EVERYONE BEHIND THE SCENES, WE

WERE ALL ABOUT PROVING OURSELVES

AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE

AUDIENCE TO SEE THE LIGHT, SO TO

SPEAK, AND TO COME WATCH WWE.

THEY DID THEIR OWN THING.

THEY CROSSED LINES.

YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GONNA

HAPPEN NEXT, BUT ALSO THE ENTIRE

ROSTER TOP TO BOTTOM, YOU WERE

EXCITED FOR EVERYBODY.

ROCK VERSUS STONE COLD, MICK

FOLEY VERSUS TRIPLE H, KANE

VERSUS TAKER, APA VERSUS NEW AGE

OUTLAWS, EDGE AND CHRISTIAN

VERSUS THE HARDY BOYZ, EVERYBODY

ON THAT CARD WAS A UNIQUE

ESTABLISHED CHARACTER.

IT WAS NO LONGER A

ENTERTAINMENT OF WRESTLERS.

IT WAS A GROUP OF SPORTS

ENTERTAINERS.

THAT'S THE ERA WHERE THE PHRASE

WAS CALLING SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT.

THE ATTITUDE ERA WASN'T JUST

FOR THE WWE.

THE ATTITUDE ERA WAS FOR

AMERICAN POP CULTURE.

EVERYBODY HAD AN ATTITUDE AND IT

WAS COOL TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE AT

THE TIME.

IT'S JUST EXACTLY WHAT THE NAME

SAYS IT WAS, IT WAS THE ATTITUDE

ERA.

GIVE ME A HELL YEAH!

[CROWD CHEERING]